AC Milan's Arsenal and Liverpool target AGREES three-year deal

The Italy full-back, who is out of contract in the summer, is set to sign a new deal at the San Siro.

Reports in Italy confirm a deal is close meaning the English duo will need to look elsewhere to strengthen their defence.

Liverpool, who have Glen Johnson currently running down his contract, have been monitoring the 28-year-old's situation for around a year, while Arsenal signed Mathieu Debuchy and Calum Chambers in the summer.

Chambers though is being groomed to become a central midfielder and has been used in central defence as well.

Abate has been capped 21 times by Italy and joined Milan in 1999, coming through the youth academy but spent a number of years on loan at other Italian clubs including Napoli and Torino.

He played once in the World Cup last summer, as Italy were dumped out at the group stage along with England.

Liverpool have also been linked with moves for Leeds' Lewis Cook and Bayern Munich's Xherdan Shaqiri, while Kolo Toure has admitted he fears for his future at Anfield.